Breaking the Ice
by Mixer18
Summary: An ice storm reigns down on New Domino and everyone hurries to protect themselves. The members of Team 5D's are doing their part, save one certain psychic duelist. She's out stuck in the ice and Yusei goes to bring her back. Now complete.
1. Chapter 1

_This is written for akiakizaizayoi's birthday. Inspiration: the recent ice storm .If you like it, voice your approval and ideas for future stories._

The day started out like any other in the New Domino metropolis. People were at work and children were at school. The current climate had the skies a grey color and a slight chill in the wind. That's what normally comes with winter. This particular day was different, however. The forecast was calling for two separate rounds of ice storms, with ice accumulations predicted to reach at least one inch. With a technologically advanced society like New Domino, if threats of world destruction didn't bring the city down, an ice storm would.

Yusei Fudo had just finished installing several fail-safe systems onto a company's IT network. When news went around of an ice storm heading for the city, he was being recruited by companies to implement different kinds of measures to prevent data loss in the ice storm. Work was work and Yusei took whatever task he could get. The leader of Team 5D's walked out to where his runner was parked. He looked up at the skies to gauge what was already there. He got onto his ride, revved it to life, and slowly inched his way into the gridlock of cars and trucks. As Yusei slunk along with the other commuters, his on-board computer beeped. Someone was calling him.

"Yusei, please tell me you're on your way home," Crow asked, slightly worried. "This ice storm thing is getting to all of us. Where exactly are you?"

"I'm stuck in traffic," Yusei answered back calmly. "I just finished that IT job."

"Well, just try and get home safely," the Blackwing duelist sighed. "The last thing any of us need is for you to get injured by the ice. I'm heading out to bring the twins back, Jack's holding down the fort, and Bruno's out looking for salt. Watch out for any buildup." Yusei turned off the communication feature and brought up a radar map. The ice storm was still a good ways away but it was heading toward the city at a steady pace. It wouldn't be long before it would reach New Domino and ravage the drivers still on the road. All Yusei could do was wait. Eventually, the gridlock opened up and he got moving again.

It took Yusei over an hour to complete a normal half hour trip from the city to Poppo Time. He had managed to get home just as the freezing rain was starting to come down. He rolled through the open garage door to find Jack watching the news on the freezing rain. Yusei walked up to see what was happening as well. Across the bottom of the screen, the news ticker was updating on travel restrictions and school closings.

"Has there been anything on Duel Academy?" Yusei inquired.

"They're off until further notice," Jack answered. "That's pretty much what every school has." The former champ grabbed the remote to adjust the volume on the television. Just as Yusei began to walk back to the garage door, Bruno drove through on his mini runner with a stoutly built wagon towed behind filled with several bags of rock salt.

"I've got salt," he announced as he took off his helmet and brushed off whatever precipitation had fallen. "It's a good thing too. There were three bags left and I took 'em all. I also got a pickax." Bruno reached into the wagon and pulled it out to show Jack and Yusei.

"I hope you don't expect me to go out there and hack away at the ice like a miner," Jack said as he stood up and walked over to Bruno. "That's not what Jack Atlas does." He did, however, grab the bags of salt and carried them to where the shovels were.

Just then, Crow came through the door with the twins hanging on his back. They had seen the first brunt of the falling ice: the visor on Crow's helmet already had some ice on it.

"Did you three make it all right?" Yusei asked.

"Not quite," Luna answered first as she hopped off Crow's runner. "There's a flu floating around the school and Leo caught it." The male twin sneezed like a cannon onto the back of Crow's vest.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't sneeze on me," the Blackwing duelist warned the boy as they got off. "You better not get me sick, man." Leo wandered in a daze to the couch near the bottom of the staircase that led down from the front door and flopped down on it.

"He must be really sick," Yusei concluded. "Luna, there's some cough syrup in the top right drawer next to the sink upstairs. Give some to your brother." The female twin nodded in agreement and lightly jogged to the kitchen to find it. As the girl went upstairs, Yusei's cell phone rang in his coat pocket. It was Akiza calling him.

"Is everything okay on your end?" Yusei asked as he picked up the call.

"Not exactly," Akiza answered back. "My runner hit an ice patch and slid into a shallow ditch. I'm stranded out here." That immediately got Yusei's attention.

"Whatever you do, stay where you are and try to stay warm," he said with urgency to her. "I'm coming to get you." He clicked his phone off, put his helmet on, and got on his runner.

"You're not seriously going out in this ice, are you?" Jack questioned his friend. "That ramp's probably iced over by now."

"Akiza needs my help, and I'll do whatever's necessary to get her to safety," Yusei said with confidence. He got on his runner, brought it to life, and wheeled it out the garage door. He was in luck: the ramp that led up to the street was still usable. With time working against him, Yusei powered his ride out into the cold.

"Godspeed, Yusei," Jack said silently. "You've proven that nothing is impossible."

The bearer of the dragon's head mark turned on his runner's locator to find Akiza. Wherever her runner was, she would be there as well. Low visibility didn't hinder Yusei's vision too much, but the ice was gradually accumulating all around his ride. He had to work fast or else his runner would be frozen solid.

On a lone stretch of road, he saw a lone figure standing at the side. A beep on his monitor confirmed the identity: it was indeed Akiza. He reduced his speed until he came to a complete stop next to her.

"Going my way?" he asked with a warm smile. "A girl like you shouldn't be out here by herself."

"Are you here to mock me or are you taking me with you?" Akiza asked rhetorically through chattering teeth. He moved forward so his female accomplice could squeeze behind him.

"Hold on tight," Yusei reminded her as he turned the runner around and drove back to his waiting friends.

As the two navigated through the freezing rain, Akiza found it comfortable holding onto Yusei. His body temperature was toasty and permeated into her shivering figure. She even laid her head on his back and watched the right side of the road zoom past her. She nuzzled her head lightly so Yusei wouldn't notice.

The two made it back in one piece just as the storm was picking up in intensity. As they rolled inside, Bruno hurriedly pulled the door down and latched it shut.

"Akiza, we're here," Yusei spoke up to get her attention. It was the end (for now) of being close to her living and breathing space heater. While Yusei got off his runner, Akiza grabbed his hand, pulled him down to her level, and locked lips with him. Nobody was looking, much to Akiza's relief.

"Thanks for…warming me up," she said with a blush. "It was cold out there."

"No trouble at all," Yusei replied. "If you need help in winter weather, just say so and you'll get another feel of a living source of heat." He gave her a wink and walked away to check up on the ailing Leo. During that one wink, Akiza must've felt her heart swoon. Even in the most unfortunate of circumstances, Yusei would always be there to light and _heat_ her way home.


	2. Chapter 2

_With the support this story has garnered, I've decided to add another part. If you like what you read, voice your approval and anything else I should know._

The morning following the first round of freezing rain progressed as smoothly as it could. Anyone familiar with freezing rain knew there was always the possibility that the power lines could snap from the icy buildup. The members of Team 5D's were ready for that: in the time that Yusei, Crow, and Jack were constructing the engine for the WRGP, it dawned on them that they should reuse one of the failed designs as a generator. It was one of those things the three hoped never have to use but at least they have it just in case.

Yusei was among the first to wake up that morning. How he chose to get up matched the tension brought on by the ice storm. His alarm clock that also served as a charger for his mobile music player got him up with the song "Cold as Ice."

He hopped slowly and quietly down the ladder to the kitchen/living area to see Akiza still snoozing away on the couch. Yusei saw the blanket covering her wasn't keeping her entirely warm. He dipped into a nearby close and pulled out a thicker blanket. He tiptoed ever so quietly and gently covered Akiza's exposed arms and shoulders. She didn't budge one bit, a good sign for Yusei. He wanted to make sure she wouldn't wake up.

"Sleep tight," he mouthed silently after he lightly kissed her forehead.

When Yusei came down to the workshop level, he found Bruno watching the television. He looked around to see if there was anyone else up as well.

"How long have you been up?" he asked the amnesiac mechanic.

"About seven o'clock," Bruno quipped. "I did a little bit of salting out front, but I got to say….outside is like a crystal wonderland." Curious by his remarks, Yusei jogged up to the front door, peeked out the window, and saw what Bruno meant. The courtyard was covered in a ½ inch layer of ice. The fountain, the trees, and the buildings were all frozen solid. This was just from the first ice storm. The second was well on its way. There came a knock at the garage door. Bruno opened it up to see Trudge standing there with a flat-top tow truck.

"What brings you by, Trudge?" Bruno quizzed the former officer.

"Do you recognize this icy runner by any chance?" he asked showing a chunk of ice with a duel runner inside.

"That's Akiza's ride," Yusei said jogging up to Bruno and the vice chief. "How'd you get it out of the ice?"

"When you work with Sector Security, you have a lot of resources to accomplish a lot of things," Trudge stated. "I was out patrolling the roads to see if anyone was straggling in the ice and I recognized this duel runner stuck in a ditch." He got in the cab, got the lift to slide the ice block with Akiza's inside the workshop, and drove away.

Bruno pulled the door shut and went up next to Yusei to look closely at the ice block.

"How do you suppose we get it out?" the mechanic pondered aloud. "Let it melt or hack the ice off?"

"My idea is to let the ice loosen and melt throughout the day," Yusei replied. "Each of us will take turns chopping the ice off as the ice becomes malleable." The two of them pushed the ice block to a nearby corner so the water that comes off won't get everywhere. They also took a hospital curtain and concealed the open area around the block. He wanted to make it easier on Akiza by getting the ice off her runner. 

While Bruno and Yusei went outside to resume salting the sidewalk and street in front of Poppo Time, Crow and Jack were the next to get up, followed by Akiza and Luna. Leo stayed asleep; after all, he needed all the rest to combat this flu he was fighting.

When Akiza woke up, she found that she was covered in the blanket Yusei had left for her. She also lightly felt her forehead right where Yusei had kissed her. Akiza wasn't sure if she dreamed that kiss. It felt so real to her.

She came down to the workshop to see Jack angrily pacing back and forth. Whenever Jack Atlas was mad, it's either really funny or really bad.

"What do you mean we can't go outside?" he shouted at Crow while stomping his foot. "I don't want to be stuck in here with you lot 'til the ice stops falling! I'll go crazy! And where's my coffee?" Luna walked up next to Akiza to see what the yelling was about.

"Look, Jack, the ice is going to keep building up until it stops. Yusei and Bruno are outside salting the walkways, okay? They're doing their part and we should help them," Crow said to placate Jack's anger.

"You mean _you_ are going to help them," the former champ snorted. "Jack Atlas does not do manual labor. If you need me, I'll be getting my caffeine fix some other way." He turned around and walked up the stairs to the kitchen, shoving the girls out of his way while he went up.

"What is with Jack this morning?" Luna asked first as she and Akiza sauntered down to Crow.

"It's no big deal," Crow waved off. "He's just miffed that he can't go to that place where he drinks such EXPENSIVE!—coffee. He'll be fine. If you two are hungry, help yourself to anything in the kitchen. If you need any of us that are salting, just holler." Crow donned his winter gear, grabbed a shovel, and ran out the door.

"Hey, Luna, can I ask you something?" Akiza spoke up after Crow went outside. "You ever had a dream where something felt so real that it actually happened to you while you were sleeping?"

"I'm not sure what you're referring to," the female twin answered confused. "Dreams are different for every person. Can you be specific?"

"Okay," the psychic duelist said with a deep breath. "Part of my dream had Yusei kissing my forehead. When I woke up, it had felt like Yusei had _actually_ kissed my forehead. Plus, I was covered in a second blanket that Yusei had to have left."

"Interesting," Luna said in a pondering tone. "I guess if you want to find out, you'll have to ask Yusei yourself." They went up to satiate their hunger with some of Bruno's bottomless supply of Captain Crunch. The girls also did their best to avoid crossing paths with Jack. He had also prepared for the storm in his own way by obtaining a unique blend of coffee. This blend had to be kept secret from Crow since it was just as expensive as the other stuff he liked. 

Crow, Yusei, and Bruno finished salting and shoveling for the day and came inside to warm up. The first round of freezing rain had slowed to a drizzle and slowly moved out of New Domino. They turned their attention to hacking the ice off of Akiza's runner. They used ice scrapers, a pickax, and a hammer and chisel to get the ice off. It took the entire afternoon but they did it.

"Well guys, mission accomplished," Yusei said while wiping his forehead. "I'll show her the runner later on."

After dusk had passed, Akiza was by herself watching the news for updates on the ice and whatever mayhem it may have caused. Yusei came up to her and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Can I help you Yusei?" she asked eagerly.

"There's something you might want to see," he pointed out. Yusei brought her to where her runner was kept out of view while it was being de-iced. He pulled the curtain to reveal her ice-free duel runner.

"I…..don't know…what to say," Akiza stammered, completely stunned by what Yusei had done for her.

"Trudge got your runner out of that ditch and Crow, Bruno, and I took shifts getting the ice off," Yusei explained. "Just think of as my way of easing your stress brought on by this ice storm." All Akiza could do was wrap Yusei in a hug and kiss his forehead. There was no doubt that he did kiss her in her dream and in real life.


	3. Chapter 3

_Since it is still winter (barely), this story still has relevance. Anyhow, read through and say what you like._

The second round of freezing rain left as quickly as it entered. Another ½ inch of ice was packed on top of the ice already on the ground. Some power had gone in different neighborhoods around the city. Fortunately, Team 5D's did not lose their electricity. However, just because they still had power did not mean they could go outside. Sector Security had placed a restriction on all forms of automotive transportation; no cars, trucks, buses, or duel runners could not be on the roads until further notice.

Crow, Bruno, and Yusei woke bright and early to continue ice removal around the Poppo Time building. Jack refused to get up, saying that he needed "beauty" rest in times of crisis. Leo was still on the mend from the flu he was fighting. So it was just Luna and Akiza getting their breakfast fill. It was mainly a quiet affair, but Luna noticed that Akiza was cheerful this morning.

"So, Akiza, you seem particularly happy today," the female twin pondered aloud as she rinsed out her bowl in the sink. "Is there a reason why?"

"Indeed there is," the psychic duelist answered with an upbeat tone. "Follow me and I'll show you." The two went down to the workshop floor where Akiza's de-iced runner was.

"See this?" she asked of the smaller girl. "This got stuck in a ditch when the first ice storm rolled through. Yusei and the guys outside got every bit of ice off it. It warms my heart knowing they did this for me." Luna scanned over the runner for any errant pieces of ice. There were none to be found. Just then, the girls heard footsteps coming down the stairs. From the even paces in between them, it was Jack walking down.

"Top of the morning to you, ladies," Jack greeted them. "We are just about out of the woods in terms of all this ice"

"What do you mean by 'just about'?" Akiza quizzed the former champ.

"Well, it's going to get even colder after the sun goes down," he answered with slight pessimism. "Do you think you can handle being stuck here until the next thaw?"

"Oh, I think the twins and I are up to it," Akiza responded while looking at her runner out of the corner of her eye. At that moment, Bruno stepped through the front door.

"Guys, we have a situation out here," the mechanic alerted to Jack and the girls. The three of them jogged up to the front door to see what the situation was. They were stunned to see Yusei lying on the ground, holding his left shoulder and grimacing.

"What happened here?" Akiza asked with concern in her voice.

"Just call it a case of tripping on your own feet," Crow interjected. "Yusei took his eyes off the ground for a split second and fell on his shoulder. We don't think it's a serious injury but, why don't you tell 'em, Yusei?"

"It's hard for me to move my arm without feeling a sting," Yusei struggled to say as he tried to stand up.

"All right, stand aside, make way," Jack commanded everyone as he stepped out on the ice to get his ailing friend back inside. He pulled Yusei up by his non-injured arm and held that arm around his shoulder. Jack made sure his and Yusei's steps were even and slow as they got inside. 

"Thanks Jack," Yusei said as he sat down on the workshop couch. "Do you think you take on the rest of my de-icing?"

"Since you asked and the fact that you're injured, I guess I can," Jack answered while looking away. "But don't think this means I've gone soft. Jack Atlas never goes soft."

"No worries man," Yusei chuckled warmly. "Now get out there. Crow and Bruno could use your help." The blonde duelist grabbed his winter coat that was similar to the overcoat he wore all the time and walked outside.

"How are you feeling?" Akiza asked as she and Luna strolled up to Yusei. "Is there pain in any other parts of your body?"

"Well," Yusei sighed, "in complete detail, my upper arm to the left side of my neck stings when I move it abruptly. I should be back to normal by tomorrow." He winced as he moved his arm to his side.

"Is there anything we can do to help you?" Luna chipped in.

"Indeed there is," the lead Signer answered with a nod. "Luna, there should be some painkillers in the medicine cabinet. And Akiza, I keep a heating pad in my room whenever I have sore joints. See if you can find it." The two girls split up to find whatever could help Yusei. 

Akiza opened the door to Yusei's room and began her search. His quarters were pretty organized: a desk with various blueprints opposite where Akiza was standing, a not made bed, which Akiza decided to straighten up for Yusei, and a bookshelf next to the desk. She looked under the bed and on the bookshelf for that heating pad. No results, So Akiza turned her attention to the desk. She leafed through the blueprints and looked in the four drawers. Three of the drawers turned up nothing. That left the bottom-most drawer as where the heating pad would be. Sure enough, it was right when she opened the drawer. As she picked it up, Akiza noticed a picture looking back at her. After picking it up and examining it closely, it was a snapshot from the celebration of Akiza passing her duel runner license exam. The photo showed just her and Yusei with each other's arms around the other's shoulders with smiles and holding up peace signs with their free hands.

"That sure was a fun time," Akiza thought to herself. She flipped the picture over and found some writing on the back.

There was an equation that used Akiza's and Yusei's first initial each. It read "Y + A=?" Underneath the "Y + A" part was a hand-drawn heart with the word "someday" written with Yusei's handwriting inside the heart. She felt a tear come down her cheek.

"I never thought he'd have a crush on me," Akiza thought. "But I'll see if we can solve this equation before it's all said and done." She placed a light kiss on the handwritten side and put it back in the drawer. 

Akiza came back to find Yusei patiently waiting with an empty glass and a bottle of painkillers on the table.

"Did you have any trouble finding it?" Yusei quizzed her.

"Nah," Akiza said while nodding no. "I took a few guesses where it might be and sure enough, I found it. Where'd Luna go, by the way?"

"She went to tend to her brother," Yusei answered. Akiza shrugged as she plugged in the heating pad and stuck it behind Yusei's injured shoulder. She set it to "warm" and sat next to Yusei.

"Thanks for doing this for me," Yusei said in a low enough voice only for Akiza to hear.

"Not a problem at all," she answered back. "It's the least I can do since you helped to get my runner ice-free." She sealed the deal by lightly kissing Yusei's right cheek.

"There'll be more of those coming soon," she said with a wink.

_The picture will be brought up again, preferably somewhere near the end of the story. As for Leo and his flu, that'll play a key role down the line. If there's anything else I should try, let it be known in the reviews._


	4. Chapter 4

_With the ice out of the way, the story steps forward._

With both rounds of freezing rain squarely out of the picture, the citizens of New Domino have begun chipping their way outside. From salt to other abnormal ice removal methods, people collaborated with security forces to get the infrastructure de-iced. If there was one thing the city could not function without, it was its infrastructure and mass transport system.

Team 5D's stayed one step ahead of the game by laying down salt as freezing rain came down. Plus, Bruno managed to rig a makeshift heating strip out of leftover engine parts. All their efforts got Zora to stop yelling at them, save Yusei, while cleanup went on around them.

Yusei recovered from his shoulder stinger quite ably from the combined efforts of Luna and Akiza, especially Akiza. It must've been that kiss that put Yusei on the road to recovery. The stinger was only a precursor to another unfortunate event to him.

Since Crow and Bruno worked nonstop to keep Poppo Time ice-free, they got to sleep in. The first one to get up, undoubtedly, was Yusei. The girls and Jack were getting the sleep they deserve, so the only one left to get up was Leo. He still had the flu ravaging him but no fatigue. That meant he could walk around but was still infectious.

"Hey Yusei," the sick twin said weakly as he took a spot at the table. "What'd I miss while I was bed-ridden?"

"Not much," the lead Signer responded while looking back from the counter. "I think only Jack got a small case of cabin fever. How are you holding up?" Leo quickly reached for a napkin and sneezed like a cannon into it.

"Still sick," the boy sniffled. "But I don't feel drained of energy anymore. Is there anything here I can actually eat? I haven't had a decent meal since before this ice storm thing."

"I got you covered," Yusei assured him as he scooped some contents of the pan he was cooking with onto a plate. "Try this." He handed the boy a plate with some eggs, some green stuff, some red stuff, and what looked to be drops of hot sauce. Leo took a bite and felt his nose clear up.

"This stuff is delicious. My compliments to the chef," he said to Yusei. "But what is it exactly?"

"It's a scrambled egg dish that Martha made for me and the guys as kids whenever we got sick," the black-haired duelist explained. "Except there are some chopped jalapeños and Serrano chilies in there. It's the stuff inside chili peppers that acts like an antihistamine." Leo tried his best to listen, but anytime he gets his hands on some food, everything else comes second. He inhaled the egg dish like it was air and gestured frantically for more. Yusei chuckled lightly and poured the rest of the pan onto the plate.

"This stuff should stick to your ribs _and_ keep your nose clear for a while," Yusei summarized as the kid gobbled a whole pan's worth of eggs and peppers.

"Let's hope so," Leo belched.

The city's de-icing was not good news to everyone. With the streets and freeways drivable, Crow had to get back to his delivery job. Although he did get some extra sleep, he wasn't any thrilled about going back to work. Not long after Crow's departure, Bruno got up and went outside to finish up any leftover ice removal. The first thing Jack did when he woke up was head for the coffeemaker. Not even an ice storm stops Jack Atlas from getting his coffee fix. Bringing up the rear were Akiza and Luna.

"In here," Akiza whispered with glee as she and Luna carefully entered Yusei's room. "I found this yesterday."

"Found what yesterday?" the small girl questioned her sister figure while the two approached Yusei's desk. "Whatever this is, you seem thrilled about it."

"For good reason," the psychic duelist added while she opened the drawer that had the picture of her and Yusei and handed it to Luna.

"I remember this," she said while looking at the image between her hands. "This was just after you beat Trudge to get your duel runner license. You and Yusei look so carefree."

"Turn it over," Akiza instructed Luna while spinning her right index finger. "It's what I saw on the back that got to me." The younger of the two turned the photo over in her hands per Akiza's instructions. There it was: the "Y + A" equation and the heart with "someday" written inside it.

"This is Yusei's handwriting," the green-haired girl stated in slight shocked. "It's like he has a crush on you or something."

"That's what I think too," Akiza answered in agreement. "I'll bring this up with him when I feel the time is right." Luna stuck the image back in the drawer, picture side up, and the two left Yusei's room as quietly as they entered.

The day went on without much in the way of craziness. The only exception was Leo thinking he had an iron stomach from not writhing in pain from eating chili peppers with breakfast. He thought that he could eat other hot peppers without getting burned. Jack got fed up with the boy's self-heralding and decided to truly test the so-called "iron stomach."

"So, you really think you can withstand the burn of chilies?" the former champ quizzed as he and Leo walked up to the kitchen.

"Absolutely," the boy answered with confidence. "What's the hottest pepper you guys have in this place? I bet I can eat it without shedding a tear."

"Really now?" Jack asked as he reached into the refrigerator and pulled out an orange pepper. "This is a habanero chili pepper, one of the hottest peppers in existence. Try this." Leo took the pepper in his left hand, took one bite, and felt the burn right off the bat. Jack smirked when he saw Leo's face form an expression of agony. The boy tried his hardest to resist screaming. He spit the pepper out, turned the sink on full blast, and drank from the running water. Leo stayed there for quite some time, continuing to drink and douse the fire in his mouth. Jack said nothing as he walked away with a satisfied grin on his face.

"What's going on up there?" Crow asked while Jack sauntered down the stairs.

"I got Leo to shut up about his iron stomach by getting him to eat a real hot chili pepper," the former champ taunted. "And now he's trying to put out the burn with water."

"Bummer," the Blackwing duelist concluded. "Did you say anything about how milk treats chili burns better than water?"

"Nope, then it wouldn't be as funny anymore," Jack retorted with a sneer.

_This chapter qualifies more as filler. I just wanted to get Leo involved in the story. Fear not: Akiza will bring up the picture with Yusei. Say what you want in the reviews and be on the lookout for the next chapter._


	5. Chapter 5

_For those eagerly waiting to read more, your wish has been granted._

After drinking gallon upon gallon of water, the habanero burn in Leo's mouth eventually went away. Although it took a lot of water to put out the fire, it did accomplish something else: whenever a person is sick, that person must drink a lot of fluids.

"Habanero pepper…..bad," Leo said in a daze as he wandered to the stairs. From the way his face looked, no one (save Crow and Jack) could tell if the boy was sweating or had water splashed on his face. Leo made his way over to Crow, who was cleaning salt and slush off his runner.

"You look like you've seen better days, huh kid?" the Blackwing duelist rhetorically asked.

"How come no one told me peppers can burn your mouth?" the boy belched. "Well, Jack sure showed me." Crow gave him a pat on the back as a sign of support.

"Just be glad the burn was in your mouth," Crow told him. "Ever heard of pepper spray? It's that white stuff inside chilies that makes pepper spray. If you get sprayed with it, it hurts…._big time_. I know this." Realizing that he wasn't alone on this, Crow and the boy bumped fists. One could say they were "Brothers of the Burn." 

Akiza stood atop the stairs, looking down at Yusei. She knew had to say something about everything Yusei has done for her in this ice storm incident: saving her from being stranded on the icy roads and de-icing her runner. Plus, there was the picture Akiza found.

"All right, I'm going to tell him," she told herself quietly. "I can do this." Just as Akiza took one step down the stairs, Bruno rode inside the workshop on his mini-runner.

"People, I bring you sustenance," the mechanic announced whole holding up two large paper sacks. The scent wafting from the bags was a familiar and delicious one: fast food. Bruno tossed a large cheeseburger each to Yusei, Crow, and Leo, a fish and chips box to Jack, and fruit medleys tossed with honey to Akiza and Luna.

"I'll tell him later," the psychic duelist said to herself as she walked up the stairs. Like everyone else, she needed something edible to ease any leftover worries from the ice storm.

Just as Akiza took a seat at the table in the kitchen, Luna came into view, with her fruit medley in hand as well.

"I figured you could use some company," Luna hypothesized as she took a spot as well. "Have you said anything to Yusei yet?" To that end, Akiza weakly nodded no in embarrassment.

"I was going to, but then Bruno came in and gave us this stuff," she said while taking a bite of peach.

"You better say something soon," the small girl warned Akiza. "You know we'll be back in school on Monday and we'll have to work extra hard to catch up on all the stuff we missed 'cause of the ice storm. And that could take away any time you have to hang around Yusei. So you might as well tell him while you have the chance."

"You're right," the psychic duelist sighed after taking a small bite of grape. 

It was just about time for Yusei to call it a day. While he was cleaning up the workshop floor of tools and building material, he came across an unfinished cheeseburger next to crow's runner. He looked around to see if there was anyone else in the room. He looked back down at the sandwich and picked it up.

"No sense in letting this go to waste," Yusei thought as he finished the sandwich in two bites before going back to tidying up the workshop for the night. Although he didn't know, Yusei had eaten the leftovers of Leo's burger and it was handled with flu-ridden hands. 

The next morning was the complete opposite for Yusei. He woke up with a stuffed nose, a sore throat, an elevated fever, and a body with significantly less energy than normal. He made his way to the kitchen, where he found Akiza, fully groomed after a night's slumber, reading a women's magazine at the table. She looked up to Yusei and realized he was not up to snuff.

"My goodness, are you sick, Yusei?" Akiza asked in astonishment.

"Yeah," he coughed in response. "It must've been Leo's burger I ate last night." 

"Men and their stomachs, I tell you," she said while shaking her head. "Well, first things first, we should get you back in bed. Let's go." She guided Yusei back to his room, just in case he might fall over from any delirium caused by the fever. Once he lied down, Akiza put the back of her hand on his forehead to gauge how high the fever was.

"You're burning up," she said after she took her hand off of his forehead. "Sit tight." Akiza stopped by the kitchen to get the medicine Leo took upon arrival and a tall glass of cold water. She made her way back to a waiting Yusei. She sat on his bedside, cradling Yusei's head in one arm, and holding the medicinal syrup in the other hand.

"Open wide," Akiza said in a mother-like tone as she tipped the syrup into Yusei's mouth. Once the syrup was ingested, she held the water against Yusei's lips and tipped the liquid in the same fashion.

"That's it," she said soothingly while running her fingers through his hair. "How are you feeling now?"

"Um…..a little better already," Yusei answered with a weak smile.

"Good to know," Akiza said after she finished rubbing his forehead and standing up. "You get some sleep and I'll check on you later." His eyelids dropped down to conceal his dark blue eyes and Yusei went into a deep slumber. Akiza tiptoed silently out the door and gently closed it. She leaned against the door and looked at her hands that were in contact with Yusei's head.

"For someone with a hairstyle like him, his hair is soft and…..fluffy to the touch," Akiza said to herself. "I'll tell him once the fever subsides and he can talk better."

_For a woman like Akiza to tend to someone she likes a lot, what do you think is going through her mind? On a side note, we all must start readying ourselves for the end of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's and the start of Zexal. Voice yourselves in the reviews and be watching for the next chapter._


	6. Chapter 6

_Who'd have thought an ice storm could bring Yusei and Akiza close together?_

After looking in on Yusei for the first time, Akiza figured she might as well tell everyone else that he was sick. If they didn't know where Yusei was, who knows how Team 5D's would function? She made her way down to the workshop floor. When she could see everyone from above, Akiza saw Leo and Jack in some kind of tug-of-war with a tool of some sort. Crow, Bruno, and Luna were just watching.

"Um…guys? Could I have your attention for a minute?" Akiza requested.

"This better be good," Jack wheezed while he pulled Leo up in the air hanging on the tool. "The only reason Leo hasn't let go is that he knows I'm going to take a few…._swings_ later on." The group looked up at Akiza, waiting for her words.

"Yusei is feeling under the weather today," the psychic duelist explained. "I think he'd appreciate it if you all came to see him for a few minutes and wish him well. Is that so hard to ask for?" Everyone, except Leo, nodded no in unison.

"He's sick?" the boy asked hanging in midair. "I think I should apologize for leaving my sandwich out last night."

"We know," Akiza said. "Anyway, you can all go in separately or as a group. Just try to do it today, okay?" They all nodded positively, a sign that they understood. After all, if any of them were feeling less than 100 percent, Yusei would be sure to extend his best wishes. 

Two and a half hours had passed after Yusei had ingested the medicine and fallen asleep. Outside the door, the twins were waiting for Akiza to open the door. She came up to it and gently knocked to wake him up.

"It's open," the lead Signer said weakly as he sat up in his bed. The door slowly creaked open, exposing a tall and slender shadow accompanied by two shorter identical shadows.

"Yusei, you have visitors," Akiza announced in a kind and tender voice. The twins walked in, side by side. The scarlet-haired woman stood at the doorway just watching.

"How are you holding up, big guy?" Leo spoke up first. "It's kind of my fault that you're in this situation." The small boy looked down in shame because of his mistake. Yusei reached out with his right hand and put it on Leo's left shoulder.

"Don't worry about it," Yusei assured him. "We all make mistakes, even me. I just saw a sandwich, which I now know was yours, lying on the floor and I just went with it." The boy looked up in relief and gave Yusei an "everything's cool" high-five.

"Leo and I came by to wish you well," Luna stepped in. "We also wanted to thank you for letting us stay here while the ice storm ravaged the city."

"Don't sweat it," the black-haired duelist answered back. "I never hesitate to offer save haven if someone needs it." The small girl sealed the deal with a light hug to Yusei.

"Goodbye Yusei," the twins said at the same time before they walked out the door and past Akiza.

"Try and get some sleep now," she reminded him before closing the door.

A little over an hour passed when Yusei's slumber was interrupted by Crow and Bruno coming by to extend their well-wishes.

"Rough break getting sick and all," the Blackwing duelist stated obviously. "But we know you'll pull through."

"I'll keep funneling through different engine designs until you're up and running," Bruno explained.

"Thanks guys," the ailing Signer breathed as he fell back into his slumber. 

Not even twenty minutes went by before Jack barged in like he was the cock of the walk. If there was anything the former champ could still do, it was make an entrance.

"How the mighty have fallen," Atlas scoffed with slight disappointment. "Yusei Fudo, the greatest duelist in the city, has finally met his equal: a lowly flu bug."

"Come on Jack," Yusei said to placate his words. "Everyone gets sick eventually. When's the last time you felt ill?"

"I can't seem to recall," the one-time king answered. "But I was only kidding right then and there. I want you to get well. You're the only one that can diffuse the craziness that is Crow and Leo." Jack waved his overcoat like a cape and walked out in slightly dramatic fashion. Akiza stood by the door as he walked out.

"Quite the show," she said as she closed and locked the door and walked over to Yusei's bedside. "It was nice of those guys to wish you a speedy recovery."

"Yeah, well, they are my friends," the bearer of the dragon head said in agreement. "I wouldn't trade them for anything."

"Does that include me?" Akiza asked sweetly as she poured the medicinal syrup onto a spoon and stuck it in Yusei's mouth.

"Well…..you're a different case," he answered while trying to avoid looking at Akiza's face. Her ears twitched at this. She placed two fingers on Yusei's chin and lifted it up so that their eyes met.

"Can you explain that in detail or do you need motivation?" the psychic duelist said in a flirtatious voice. "Or I can beat you there." She reached for the drawer that had the picture in it and pulled it out. Yusei's eyes widen slightly when he saw the image.

"I found this the other day when you hurt your shoulder outside," Akiza summarized. "It was what I saw on the _back_ that got to me." She turned it over to the white side that had Yusei's handwriting.

"The equation was the only thing I wrote on there when I got the picture back," he explained. "Then after I saved you from the ice, I added the heart after I saw your gratitude from being saved and having your runner de-iced. I want you to understand one thing, Akiza." She felt her heart swoon a small amount.

"What is it, Yusei?" the young woman eagerly pondered aloud as she took hold of his hands.

"I'm very fortunate to have you in my life," he started to say as he lightly squeezed Akiza's hands. "Martha told me that a person's true love will always be right in front of them. They just won't realize it right away. I realized it when I saved you from the ice storm."  
"Is this going where I think it is going?" Akiza asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Only one way to find out," Yusei said confidently. The two slowly leaned in towards each other, still grasping the other person's hands. It looked to be an eternity, but their lips finally came together to form the answer. It was a short lip-lock, but it was all they needed.

"I love you, Yusei," Akiza breathed in relief.

"And I love you, Akiza," the lead Signer answered back. The two embraced each other in a long-lasting hug. Being sick was the last thing on Akiza's mind. She had finally found her complement and it was Yusei. While it was cold outside, there was a mix of warm emotions inside.

_There you have it. In some unfortunate circumstances, Yusei and Akiza finally found what they were looking for. I hope you all enjoyed this. It bears to mention that some of the events in this story are based off of my experience with the February ice storm: Yusei stuck in traffic, Akiza's runner being de-iced, and Yusei getting sick from eating leftover fast food. Now with this over, you can all check out "Your Shot," which is already in progress. Good night and good luck._


End file.
